1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to counter apparatuses for beverages dispensing and in particular to a modulated manifold system for distribution of post-mix and pre-mix beverages.
2. Description of Related Art
The word manifold system is used in the field of post-mix and pre-mix beverages distribution to indicate the part of the distributing apparatus comprised between the refrigerating device and the beverages dispensing front part and having the aim of feeding the taps of the dispensing front part with pre-mix beverages, syrups, still water and carbonated water necessary to obtain post-mix beverages.
The word post-mix beverage indicates beverages prepared by the producer as syrup or concentrated beverage which need to be diluted with still water or carbonated water before being dispensed. The word pre-mix beverage indicates beverage to be dispensed as prepared by the producer.
In the prior art manifold systems are constituted by units having as inlet the pipelines coming from the refrigerating system and carrying beverages, still water, carbonated water for diluting post-mix beverages, and the fluid (generally water) used for the cooling of the system. The manifold system depends on the type of dispensing front part to which the system has to be connected and in particular from the number and types of taps, such as post-mix taps with still water, post-mix with carbonated water and pre-mix, which such front part includes.
The inconveniences of the modular manifold systems according to such prior art are basically due to the necessity to manufacture different types of units according to the number and types of the taps disposed on the dispensing front part. Furthermore once the apparatus has been mounted it is almost impossible to modify the types of taps on the dispensing front part.
A further problem shown by the known systems is the maintenance which is difficult because, almost always, it is necessary to disassemble the whole dispensing front part even when the problem concerns only a single line.
The aim of the present invention is a modular manifold system which obviates the necessity of manufacturing different types of units according to the number and types of taps disposed on the dispensing front part.
Another aim is to allow, once the apparatus has been mounted, changing of one number and type of the taps on the dispensing front part.
A further aim is to allow the mixing of still water and carbonated water inside the same system to obtain a diluting water of the post-mix beverages with a gassing more suitable to the different types of beverages.
Another aim is to facilitate the assembly maneuvers and maintenance services.
Still another aim is to obtain a modular manifold system of easy and inexpensive manufacture without suing specialized workpeople or sophisticated technologies.
These and further aims are achieved by the modular manifold system according to the invention.